Floribunda rose plant named ‘Meimacota’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct variety of Floribunda rose plant herein referred to by its cultivar name, ‘Meimacota’, is provided which forms an abundance of attractive, cup-shaped, red colored blossoms on a nearly continuous basis. The vegetation is vigorous and the growth habit is bushy. Attractive, dense, semi-glossy, green foliage is formed. Very good resistance to pests and disease is exhibited, particularly against black spot. Additionally, the new variety is particularly well suited for growing as distinctive ornamentation in the landscape.

Botanical/commercial classification: Rosa hybrida/Floribunda Rose Plant.

Varietal denomination: cv. Meimacota.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The new variety of Rosa hybrida Floribunda rose plant of the presentinvention was created during June of 2004 at le Cannet des Maures, Var,France, by artificial pollination wherein two parents were crossed whichpreviously had been studied in the hope that they would contribute thedesired characteristics. The female parent (i.e., the seed parent) wasthe ‘Noawel’ variety (non-patented in the United States). The maleparent (i.e., the pollen parent) of the new variety was the ‘Radrazz’variety (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 11,836). The parentage of the new varietycan be summarized as follows:‘Noawel’ x ‘Radrazz’.

The seeds resulting from the above pollination were sown and smallplants were obtained which were physically and biologically differentfrom each other. Selective study resulted in the identification of asingle plant of the new variety.

It was found that the new Floribunda rose plant of the present inventionpossesses the following combination of characteristics:

-   -   (a) abundantly and substantially continuously forms attractive,        cup-shaped, red colored blossoms,    -   (b) exhibits a bushy growth habit,    -   (c) forms very dense, semi-glossy, green foliage,    -   (d) exhibits very good resistance to pests and disease,        particularly with respect to black spot, and    -   (e) is well suited for providing attractive ornamentation.

A new rose variety is provided displaying attractive, cup-shaped redblossoms combined with substantially continuous blossoming and very gooddisease resistance.

The new variety well meets the needs of the horticultural industry. Itcan be grown to advantage as ornamentation in parks, gardens, publicareas, and in residential landscapes. Accordingly, the plant isparticularly well suited for growing in the landscape.

The new variety can be readily distinguished from its ancestors. Morespecifically, the new variety can be readily distinguished from the seedparental variety, ‘Noawel’ (non-patented in the United States), in thatthe new variety exhibits a bushy growth habit, while the seed parent‘Noawel’ exhibits a ground cover growth habit. The new variety can bereadily distinguished from the pollen parent, ‘Radrazz’ (U.S. Plant Pat.No. 11,836), in that the new variety displays 48-62 petals on average,while the pollen parent ‘Radrazz’ displays far fewer petals, only 10petals on average. Moreover, the new variety can be readilydistinguished from related known non-parental varieties. For example,the ‘Meipeporia’ variety (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 26,298) displaysapproximately 25 petals, whereas the new variety displays approximately48-62 petals.

The plant of the new variety was asexually reproduced by rooting ofcuttings in le Cannet des Maures, Var, France. The characteristics ofthe new variety have been found to be homogeneous and stable and to bestrictly transmissible by asexual propagation, such as budding,grafting, and the rooting of cuttings from one generation to another.The new variety reproduces in a true-to-type manner by such asexualpropagation.

The new variety has been named ‘Meimacota’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs show, as nearly true as it is reasonablypossible to make the same in a color illustration of this character,typical specimens of the plant parts of the new variety. The rose plantof the new variety illustrated herein was approximately two years of ageand was grown outdoors on its own roots at le Cannet des Maures, Var,France, when it was observed in September, 2016. Scale (in centimeters)and comparative standard color information is provided at the bottom ofthe figure sheet.

Element 1 illustrates a specimen of a young shoot;

Element 2 illustrates a specimen of a floral bud before the opening ofthe sepals;

Element 3 illustrates a specimen of a floral bud at the opening of thesepals;

Element 4 illustrates a specimen of a floral bud at the opening of thepetals;

Element 5 illustrates a specimen of a flower in the course of opening;

Element 6 illustrates a specimen of an open flower—plan view—obverse;

Element 7 illustrates a specimen of an open flower—plan view—reverse;

Element 8 illustrates a specimen of a more fully open flower—planview—obverse;

Element 9 illustrates a specimen of a more fully open flower—planview—reverse;

Element 10 illustrates a specimen of a floral receptacle showing thearrangement of the stamens and pistils;

Element 11 illustrates a specimen of a floral receptacle showing thearrangement of the pistils (stamens removed);

Element 12 illustrates a specimen of a flowering stem;

Element 13 illustrates a specimen of a leaf with three leaflets—planview—upper surface;

Element 14 illustrates a specimen of a leaf with five leaflets—planview—under surface; and

Element 15 illustrates a specimen of a leaf with seven leaflets—planview—upper surface;

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The chart used in the identification of colors is that of The RoyalHorticultural Society (R.H.S. Colour Chart—1995 Edition), London,England. The description is based on the observation of two-year-oldspecimens of the new variety during September while growing outdoors ontheir own roots at le Cannet des Maures, Var, France.

-   Class: Floribunda Rose.    -   -   Variety.—‘Meimacota’.-   Plant:    -   -   Habit.—Bushy and intermediate.        -   Foliage.—Very dense with a semi-glossy aspect.        -   Height.—Commonly approximately 70 to 90 cm on average.-   Stems:    -   -   Color.—Commonly near Yellow-Green Group 144A-144B on young            stems, and commonly near Yellow-Green Group 146B on old            wood.        -   Thorns.—Quantity: commonly approximately 34 small prickles            and 19 long prickles on young stems approximately 10 cm in            length; commonly approximately 3 long prickles on adult            stems approximately 10 cm in length. Size: small prickles            are commonly approximately 1-2 mm in length on average;            large prickles are commonly approximately 5-7 mm in length            on average on young stems and approximately 7-9 mm in length            on average on adult stems. Color: commonly near            Greyed-Purple Group 183D on young stems, and near            Greyed-Orange Group 166A on adult stems. Shape: ovate shaped            at the base and slightly curved downward on the upper            surface of the thorn and concave on the lower surface of the            thorn.-   Leaves:    -   -   Leaflets.—Number: 3, 5, and 7. Length: approximately 5.5 cm            on average for a terminal leaflet. Width: approximately 3.2            cm on average for a terminal leaflet. Shape: generally ovate            with a cuspidate tip and a rounded base. Margins: serrated            and denticulate. Texture: leathery. Color (when young):            Upper surface: near Yellow-Green Group 147A. Under surface:            near Yellow-Green Group 147B. Color (when fully mature):            Upper surface: near Yellow-Green Group 147A. Under surface:            near Yellow-Green Group 147B-147C. Anthocyanin coloration:            commonly medium anthocyanin coloration on young leaves and            shoots and is commonly near Greyed Purple Group 187A.        -   Rachis.—Near Yellow-Green Group 146B in coloration.        -   Petioles.—Commonly approximately 2 cm in length on average,            near Yellow-Green Group 146B in coloration, with a slightly            glandular upper surface and a few prickles on the under            surface.        -   Stipules.—Generally adnate, pectinate, and broad; commonly            approximately 1 cm in length and 5 mm in width on average;            commonly near Yellow-Green Group 146D in coloration on the            upper surface and near Yellow-Green Group 146A in coloration            on the under surface.-   Inflorescence:    -   -   Number of flowers.—Commonly 1 to 7 blossoms on average per            stem.        -   Flowering laterals.—Mostly no laterals, sometimes 2 to 6            laterals making a corymb inflorescence.        -   Peduncle.—Commonly approximately 5.2 cm in length on            average, approximately 4 mm in diameter on average, near            Yellow-Green Group 146D in coloration, and commonly            exhibiting a glandular surface.        -   Sepals.—Upper surface: generally tomentous in texture and            commonly near Yellow-Green Group 148D in coloration. Under            surface: generally smooth in texture and commonly near Green            Group 143B edged with near Yellow-Green Group 146B in            coloration. Size: commonly approximately 1.5 cm in length on            average, and approximately 8 mm in width on average. Shape:            generally narrow at the top and upright at the base with few            extensions measuring approximately 1-1.9 cm in length on            average.        -   Buds.—Shape: generally conical. Length: approximately 2.5 cm            on average. Diameter: approximately 2 cm on average. Color:            when opening, near Red Group 45A slightly suffused with near            Red Group 46A on the upper surface and near Red Group 53C on            the under surface.        -   Receptacle.—Generally funnel shaped, approximately 6 mm in            length and 6 mm in diameter on average, smooth in texture,            and near Yellow-Green Group 146C in coloration.        -   Flower.—Shape: cuplike. Diameter: commonly approximately 6-9            cm on average when fully open. Color (when opening begins):            Upper surface: near Red Group 53A-53B. Under surface: near            Red Group 53C. Color (when fully open): Upper surface: near            Red-Purple Group 57C slightly suffused with near Red Group            53C. Under surface: near Red-Purple Group 57D. Fragrance:            none. Petal number: commonly approximately 48-62 petals on            average under normal growing conditions. Petal arrangement:            imbricated without petaloids. Petal length: commonly            approximately 3.7 cm on average. Petal width: commonly            approximately 2.9 cm on average. Petal shape: cuneiform at            the base and rounded at the apex. Petal texture: leathery.            Petal drop: good, the petals commonly detach cleanly and            freely drop upon full maturity. Petals reflex one-by-one:            absent. Stamens: commonly number approximately 53 on average            arranged regularly around the styles. Anthers: approximately            2 mm in size on average and commonly near Orange-Red Group            34C edged with near Orange Group 24D in coloration.            Filaments: approximately 3 mm in length on average, and the            coloration is near Yellow Group 2D. Pistils: commonly number            approximately 56 on average. Styles: commonly approximately            1 mm in length on average and near Yellow Group 2D in            coloration. Stigmas: commonly approximately 6 mm in diameter            on average, and near Yellow-Green Group 44C in coloration.            Hips/seed: not observed to date.-   Development:    -   -   Vegetation.—Green, vigorous, and very strong.        -   Blossoming.—Very abundant and substantially continuous,            medium in the season.        -   Resistance to diseases.—Very good resistance, particularly            with respect to black spot. Plants of the ‘Meimacota’            variety have not been observed under all possible            environmental conditions to date. Accordingly, it is            possible that the phenotypic expression may vary somewhat            with changes in light intensity and duration, cultural            practices, and other environmental conditions.

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct rose plant characterized by the followingcombination of characteristics: (a) abundantly and substantiallycontinuously forms attractive, cup-shaped, red colored blossoms, (b)exhibits a bushy growth habit, (c) forms very dense, semi-glossy, greenfoliage, (d) exhibits very good resistance to pests and disease,particularly with respect to black spot, and (e) is well suited forproviding attractive ornamentation. substantially as herein shown anddescribed.